Or Worse
by Diary
Summary: "People see what they want to believe." WIP.


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

* * *

"Damn," Harry mutters as he watches Draco and Scorpius Malfoy playing together. "Let me try to talk to him," he orders the others.

They follow a few feet behind as he walks over.

"Dada, a regular broom can't be enchanted to outfly a muggle jet. Did they even have muggle jets when you were little?"

Trying to tackle his son, Draco says, sternly, "I don't care for the implication I'm old, young man. I was ten when I outflew that jet. I got the broom from a-"

"His next sentence is going to be 'an old hag who traded it for a pumpkin," Harry interjects.

"Auror Potter," Scorpius says, running over to hug his leg. "Dada's trying to make me take a bath!"

"What does Mummy have to say," Harry asks, carefully putting a hand on Scorpius's shoulder as he feels Draco's curious eyes on him.

"She's in Milan," the little boy answers. "There was an oil spill, and she's helping the mermaids who are sick and need a new lake."

Of course, he thinks, grimly, looking up. "Maybe," he says, "your dad will let you visit your grandparents tonight. I know he's going to tell you that I never bathed in Hogwarts and that's why I'm trying to help you, but really, it's because I have a special case that he needs to help me with."

"Dada," Scorpius says, looking up inquiringly at him.

"Yeah," he answers, forcing himself to keep his tone light and not sigh. "This case involves- marks," he says, looking pointedly at Draco's left arm. "Someone people are dead, and the person who might have done it has some experience with a special kind of mark that your dad is real knowledgeable about."

Eyes cold, Draco nods. "Scorpius, little unicorn," he says, kneeling down but putting his hand out to stop his son from coming over, "it's important I help Auror Potter, and it might take a while. He's going to take you to Grandfather and Grandmum, yeah? When Mummy gets back, you and her can come visit me for a bit."

Harry sees Scorpius start to move forward and sees Draco is about to try to stop him, again, and he quickly says, "Give your dad a hug and a kiss, and then, I'll take you." He knows he's going to get chewed out, but whether Malofy committed the murders or not, he'd never hurt his son, and Harry knows Scorpius will realise something's wrong if he doesn't get a proper goodbye.

"Be good, little unicorn, and if you can't be, don't get caught," Draco says, hugging his son. "I love you very much."

"Love you, Dada," Scorpius says, kissing him.

Then, he rushes over, grinning up at Harry.

Trying his best not to sigh, Harry picks the little boy up and says, "Close your eyes and hold on tight. This might make you a little sick."

…

"He's not saying anything," Auror Miriam Jones informs Harry. "We've offered food and water and told him he could use the toilet if he needed to," she adds, taping the two-way mirror.

Harry waits patiently as the recording projects into the observation room. Jones is good for the department, but her title of 'auror' doesn't exactly fit her. It's nothing personal, but as long as Harry's in charge, she's never going to be put on active duty.

Once suspects and victims are safely contained in the station, she's brilliant. She's amiable, knows every law on the books, and often helps get confessions and statements. No one has been able to successfully accuse the department of unfair treatment or coercion since she joined the ranks, mainly because she makes sure there isn't any.

"Good," he says when he it's done. "I'll go talk to him."

…

"Is my son okay?"

"Yes," Harry answers, sitting down. "I explained everything to your mother, and she sent your father to bring your wife home. Scorpius was arguing with a mirror when I left."

Nodding, Draco says, "I'm invoking my right to silence."

"It's your right," Harry says, "but a trial won't be scheduled before Monday, at the earliest. And until we find enough evidence to clear or condemn you, you're not likely to be granted parole even with the trial. If you talk to us, you might be able to be released without all that."

"I understand," Draco says. "I'm invoking my right to silence."

"Alright," Harry says with a sigh. "Have you eaten? Food won't be served at Azkaban until eight in the morning. If you want, we can get you some food, and we'll give you an hour before transferring you."

"No, I haven't. What are my choices?"

…

"Mrs Malfoy," Harry greets when Astoria Malfoy appears at two in the morning. "Your husband's been transferred to Azkaban. Visiting hours are at-"

"I'm sorry to be rude," she interrupts, "but I was told Draco is under suspicion of killing a muggle child and her witch mother? Do I have a right to know what evidence you could possibly have against him?"

"Yes, Mrs Malfoy," he answers. "Why don't we go to my office? Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"Just some coffee, if it's not too much trouble."

After they're settled, he says, "Mrs Malfoy, at 8:45 on Wednesday, Miss Dore took her two-year-old daughter, who was adopted and likely muggle, to Diagon Alley with our witness. This witness and Miss Dore separated and agreed to meet at Fortescue's in an hour. When Miss Dore and her daughter didn't show up, the witness assumed they'd gotten lost and set out to find them. The witness entered Knockturn Alley and found your husband standing over the bodies near Borgin and Burkes. The Dark Mark was cast above Miss Dore's body. Your husband performed a memory charm on the witness and left. We've finally been able to break the charm and confirm that the witness's recovered memory is accurate."

"Oh," she murmurs, hands going to her mouth. "Draco did leave at 9:30. Scorpius's birthday is a month away; he bought a glass eye. If you rub a drop of blood from another person on it, it lets you spy on them no matter where they are," she explains. "However, he's been modifying it; he even alerted the ministry to the purchase and his intentions. Scorpius sometimes gets worried about the peacocks in the middle of the night and sneaks out to check on them. Draco's trying to neutralise its ability to spy on humans and enchant it to accept a feather or some saliva rather than blood."

She sighs, shaking her head. "I didn't enter into my marriage lightly, Auror Potter. I know who and what Draco was, I know what he did and tried to do, and I know he still has some prejudices. But a baby? A defenceless mum? There has to be more to the story than this. At the very least, the fact he left the witness alive instead of killing him or her, too, has to-"

"I'm sorry, Mrs Malfoy," he says, quietly. "So far, the evidence points to your husband's guilt. He's refusing to talk. The department would appreciate it if you would try to convince your husband to do so, but we can't compel you or your son."

…

In the morning, Harry goes to visit Draco.

"Potter," Draco greets, neutrally, sitting up on his cot. "How is Scorpius?"

"Didn't your wife visit you earlier?"

"Yes," Draco answers. "She cried and begged me to explain what was going on. At one point, she threatened to divorce me and take our son out of Britain. I want to know what my child's been told and how he's handling everything. He's a very sensitive boy."

"I don't know exactly what he's been told, but he seems fine, for the moment. Your mum dropped him off at our house this morning. He tried to drown Rose in the bathtub, had breakfast while watching cartoons with the others, and when I left, he was having a Quidditch match with Hugo, Albus, and Lily. He was his normal self."

Letting out a sigh of relief, Draco says, "Good."

"You won't be able to stop her if you end up with a life sentence or worse," Harry informs him.

"And she can't stop me from writing," he answers. "Although, I suppose the 'or worse' would," he muses.

"Malfoy, what's going? Tell me."

"People see what they want to believe," Draco answers, leading Harry to glare.

"You've never gone after muggles, especially toddlers."

"That you know of," Draco answers, leaning back against the wall. "I had no problem going the younger years at Hogwarts, and just because you didn't see me exposing muggle knickers at the-"

"Is this an admission of guilt?"

"No. I'm still invoking my right to silence. What I'm telling you, Potter, is that I might be capable than more than you believe. Careful with your witness. She had no idea who I was, but I know her name, her relationship to the victims, and even where she lives."

"Right," Harry says, angry, standing up. "I'm having you put in solitary. And I swear, Malfoy, whether you manage to weasel out of this or not, if anything happens to my witness, I will find a way to make sure 'or worse' is done."

"The only thing I'm concerned about is my son, and I don't think the noble Saint Potter would, but if you take this out on Scorpius, 'or worse' might just happen to you, Potter."


End file.
